08Jun2020 MON, i went for a hike to the top of the Steamboat Rock (my R/T hike Stats: ~3.3 mi Moving Time: ~1.5 hr). The scrambling up/down the (~150 ft??) scree section was v dicey (for me) .. and i did it extra s-l-o-w-l-y .. and at times on all fours + my butt .. just be extra cautious .. Anyway, its all very worthwhile for the stunning views at the top of Steamboat Rock: the desert wildflowers, sagebrush, .. And going along the rim: sweeping views of the channeled scab lands. Also, i got to meet/see my first real-life marmot! Its so beautiful!!

Btw, no “crowd” on the trail .. encountered, probably a total of ~10 people during my ~2 hrs there .. so everyone who wants or need “Social Distancing” got lots of it .. :) 

Take Care and Be Safe Everyone! Cheers!

The park has reopened for day use so I made the drive. The campgrounds are currently closed but there is an open parking lot at the end of the park's main road, just past the last campground. It is a nice bonus to have a clean and well-lit bathroom, with running water, at a trailhead.

The access to the rock is not signed but is easily found from the parking lot (look for the dog walking signs and bag dispensers). From the lot the first ten minutes or so are soft sand. At the base of the rock the trail turns to large scree, rough but walkable. After a couple of minutes a little rock scramble is required. (Easier up than down for an old guy like me.) Beyond that the trail is steep but walkable until you reach a saddle between the two halves of the mesa. My ascent took less than 20 minutes. I turned south (left) at the saddle. Once on the top the clearly defined trail disappears. Stretches that look like little more than game trails can be found occasionally but even though I worked very hard to tread only on rocky surfaces and avoid plants I felt like I was tromping a meadow.

Circling back to the saddle the trail to the north side of the mesa is clearly defined and remains so around the top. I probably should have headed that way first. 

The views are spectacular. I counted five different varieties of flowers blooming and saw the usual collection of northwest wildlife (deer, marmot, and a small snake). There was one brief moment on the south end where I walked thru a swarm of gnats. Other than that there were no bugs. Perfect weather: mid-70's with a light breeze at the top.

We didn't actually make it to the top of steamboat rock. The sketchy part going to the top seemed a little too treacherous for us. Going up might have been ok, but I was worried about getting back down. 

On our way back to the parking lot, we took a side trail, which goes over to another picnic area, that was a nice little walk for us. 

Blog version (disclaimers)

Quick-and-dirty version

Access: Steamboat Rock State Park
Round Trip: 4.8 miles
Elevation Range: 1580′-2312′
Gear: none
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes

Approach

1. From the main parking lot, hike the main trail to reach the entrance.
2. Follow the rocky and sandy path to reach the top of the rock.
3. Hike the rim trail clockwise/counterclockwise around the rock.

Highlights

• Expansive view of Banks Lake and Upper Grand Coulee
• Solitude

Lowlights

• Clouds

Awesome hike with the kids (2.5 & 5). Had a snack halfway at a picnic table. It was perfect!